


Soft as a Feather

by chiakikanata



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Short but sweet?, blankets blankets I fuckin love blankets, theyre in love okay Karen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 22:03:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20015500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiakikanata/pseuds/chiakikanata
Summary: How strange, the antics of one scared to be in love.





	Soft as a Feather

Kaoru and Kanata were supposed to have left Chiaki’s house hours ago. 

_ “Only one episode!” he had begged as the three of them left classes together, clinging onto Kaoru’s sleeve and tugging at him weakly. _

_ “Moricchi, I’ve got work to do, I can’t just ditch it to watch a random tokusatsu I know absolutely nothing about with you,” Kaoru had said, hardening himself against Chiaki’s puppy-dog eyes and continuing to walk.  _

_ Unfortunately for him, Kanata was not so resistant to Chiaki, and also, amazingly enough, had an even stronger dislike of work than Kaoru did.  _

_ “Kaoru~” he had said, his lips twitching up into a smile, “It’ll only be an hour ‘or so’. You’ll have plenty of time to do your ‘jobs’ later.”  _

_ And so Kaoru had played reluctant for a few more minutes as Kanata steered him down the street in the direction of Chiaki’s house; that is, until it started to rain, and he suddenly became very eager to get under cover.  _

_ The nearest ‘cover’ had just so happened to be Chiaki’s living room, and the three of them had quite gratefully squashed themselves up on the sofa together with a few towels and hot drinks (or cold drinks, in Kanata’s case, as Chiaki hadn’t wanted him to burn his tongue).  _

_ The towels had soon evolved into blankets and the rhythm of the rain in the background into the theme song of Chiaki’s tokusatsu, and Kaoru had sighed in beautiful defeat, wedged in between his two favourite people in the world.  _

“This storm has been going on for ages now…” Kaoru says, exhaling sharply to try and distance Kanata’s ahoge from his face. This amuses Kanata, who tightens his grip around Kaoru’s waist and settles himself further into the soft fabric of Kaoru’s shirt. He mumbles something incomprehensible, and Kaoru rolls his eyes, feeling a small smile forming against his chest. When he looks down, he sees only slightly damp blue hair, puffing outwards like the belly of a fish, inflated by the humidity, and swathes of white duvet, yet he knows the exact face Kanata is making. Peaceful and satisfied in every way, a leaf floating on the calm currents, sparkling in the sunlight behind his half-closed eyes. 

It’s a good face, and Kaoru is kinda sad he can’t see it, so he shuts his eyes and hums gently, imagining his situation as if he were an outsider looking in. What did he look like, he wondered, wrapped up like a cocoon in sheets of all sizes, colours and textures? What kind of stupid face was he making right now? Was Kanata perhaps trying to envision it in his own head, a special ‘Kaoru expression’ that only he knew existed? That makes him feel a little embarrassed, and he hopes the Kaoru in Kanata’s mind isn't stupidly red and flustered, rather, he wants to be seen as cool and reliable. 

That’s remarkably hard in his current situation, already hot from the temperature in Chiaki’s very well insulated house and, well, Chiaki himself. Whilst it was Kanata who turned their innocent tokusatsu viewing session into whatever it was right now, Chiaki had thrown himself over Kaoru’s shoulders with much enthusiasm, radiating heat like some sort of portable sun. He had stayed there for what could’ve been forever, or perhaps five minutes, pressing kisses against Kaoru’s neck and shoulders in a way that is proving difficult to ignore. 

It’s almost overwhelming, how much attention he gets from the pair of them sometimes. He’s not used to being surrounded by such adoration, and especially not when it’s coming from two people he happens to find highly attractive, inside and out. It makes him feel strange, like he doesn’t know what to do with himself and needs to bury his head underneath a pillow and keep it there for the next hour. 

He must’ve tensed up slightly, because Chiaki raises his chin from Kaoru’s shoulder and gives him a searching look, eyes narrowed. Kaoru instinctively leans away from him, which disturbs Kanata, who whines and reluctantly sits up, rubbing his eyes. 

“Kaoru? Are you ‘okay’?” He asks, blinking a little, and looking rather sleepy. 

“I’m fine, Kanata,” he shuffles slightly so Kanata can see his smile, which he thinks must be as genuine as it can be. Kanata and Chiaki are soft, and their concern makes a warm little bubble form in his chest. 

Chiaki leans back against the sofa, and takes Kaoru’s hand firmly in his. He’s hot to the touch, but it’s not unpleasant. It’s not suffocating. Chiaki is understanding of him, and that in itself is a kind of love that Kaoru might have been chasing for a long time. 

Kanata too, repositions himself, and reaches to brush Kaoru’s bangs away from his face. 

“So you can ‘breathe’,” he says, nodding to himself. “It is hard… because we don’t want you to be ‘lonely’, right, Chiaki?” 

Chiaki nods, his eyes deep and truthful. “Absolutely not! We just… we love you, you know?” 

Kaoru flushes, and hides his head in his hands. “You! Both of you! You’re so embarrassing!” 

Kanata laughs, and gently leans against Kaoru, pulling a blanket over the two of them. It’s not hot and sweaty, it’s… just right. 

“We only ‘embarrass’ you to get you to show us your ‘cute’ side~” 

Kaoru groans, sinking down into his knees, and then splutters as Chiaki heartily slaps him on the back. 

“It’s fun for us to love you, Hakaze! You should let us do it more often, you know.” 

He flops sideways, outstretched over Kaoru’s back, laughing. Kanata makes a surprised noise as Chiaki’s arm sneaks around his waist and tugs him onto the strange pile. 

“You guys are so~ heavy!” Kaoru complains, twisting his neck to get a good view of what’s happening above him. Chiaki’s face is centimetres from his own, his breath hot against Kaoru’s eyelashes, and Kanata somewhere behind him, his hands cool as they close around both Kaoru’s and Chiaki’s own. 

“This is a ‘good’ kind of love, yes? A kind that suits not just ‘us’, but ‘Kaoru’ as well?” He asks, eyelids fluttering shut in contentment. He looks different, Kaoru thinks. Happier. Definitely not ‘lonely’ anymore. If even a tiny part of that change was down to him… 

Kaoru meets Chiaki’s eyes, and sees a melting pot of pride and happiness there. All of them, not just Kanata, they’ve all gone through lots to end up on this sofa together. In these blankets, softer than feathers, they find warmth and comfort. 

That’s kinda silly, really, but… it’s what he wants to believe. Because, he knows it’s true for him. 

Rather than being smothering or uncomfortable, rather than feeling trapped and unable to run away, he feels an unconditional love that maybe he’s scared of, but he’s only scared because he doesn’t trust it to stay with him. 

He straightens up his back, and Chiaki and Kanata quickly switch tactics and splay themselves out across his lap. Kanata pulls a blanket up to his chin, and stares up at Kaoru with a fondness that, really, Kaoru isn’t sure he deserves. 

Chiaki attempts to poke Kanata’s cheek, but misses and attacks his ear instead. They laugh, carelessly, like all is good in the world, and Kaoru feels content watching them. 

The rain outside watches, as he pushes the hair from their foreheads to plant two small kisses there, swift and somewhat hesitant. Kaoru knows he isn’t good at giving or really receiving affection, but that’s okay. 

He knows these two people, warm like the sun and gentle like the sea, will wait for him. The three of them together, for as long as it takes. 

**Author's Note:**

> A shiplympics prompt I filled out for someone amazing with serious galaxy brain! It’s quite short, but please forgive me because I fly out to Japan in an hour and I struggled to finish it on the train/in the airport! I did it for them, though!


End file.
